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R. HENRY. GAR COUPLING.

No. 418,664. PatentedDec. 31, 188-9.

i. a J I NITEI); STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT THOMPSON HENRY, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOHIRAM A. SIMS, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 418,564, dated December31, 1889.

Application filed June 19, 1889. Serial No. 314,801. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT THOMPSON HENRY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and btate ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplings; and it has for its object toprovide a simple and improved device of this character which will beautomatic in its operation, and, furthermore, possess advantages inpoint of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan View of a draw-head and aportion of a car embodying my improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a bottom orinverted planview of the same. F g. 3 is alongitudinal sectional viewthereof. Fig. 4 1s an end elevation. Fig. 5 is a detailed perspectiveview of the coupling, showing the special features of novelty thereof.

Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters ofreference.

In the organization of my invention I employ a suitably spring-cushioneddraw-head A, the same being held between timbers Cb a, under theplatform I) and resting upon a bottom cross-plate c, bolted to the underside of said timbers. Also secured to the timbers ct a, lengthwise ofthe car or platform, are parallel plates Ct at in a recess a In eachtimbe'r between said plates to a and the upper surfaces of said recessesis arranged an edgewise-disposed end plate d, bearing against the rearend walls of said recesses. A similar plate 01' is also arranged in saidrecesses a but so as to normally stand at the front end walls of saidrecesses, and extending from the drawhead through said plates d d is arod 6, encircled by a spring 6' between said plates. The draw-head Acarries within it a link-retaining bevel ended device or holder B, whichis so arranged as to have a limited upwardly-yielding movement, having aretaining pin or bolt f passing through it, which is encircled by aspring f.

0 is a rightangled lever, which has its lower horizontal arm pivotedupon the under side of the cross-plate c. To one end of the lever O isconnected a right-angled bar g, its

vertical or upturned'portion engaging orhaving the rod 6 passing throughit, and therefore receiving the pressure of the inner or 4 forward platecl, whereby when the drawhead is moved inward the bar 9 will in likemanner be affected, and thus throw the lever O forward at its upper end.The upper end of the lever 0 stands nearly flush with the top of theplatform, and is preferablylbeveled, for the purpose presently seen.

E is a hand or gravity lever having at the inner edge of its pendenthandled portion a notch h, engaging the beveled upper edge of the lever0 when the pin is in its uncoupled position. The lever E hasacrank-shaft portion E, which is jonrnaled or has its bearing in theplatform, while one arm thereof has connected to it a crank-arm t',which carries the coupling-pin D, arranged to stand in its elevatedposition in an openingin the holder B within the draw-bar. Thecrank-armt'has its upper pivoted end engaging a stop Q1 on the outer endof the arm of the crank-shaft portion of the lever E, to limit theupward movement of the coupling in, the event of the rebound actionthereof. A stop in the form of a plate j, bolted to the platform and havinga notch in its upwardly deflected or in clined end in alignment withthe lever E, prevents the vertical displacement of the latter. It willbe seen that as two draw-heads come together the latter will move inwardand trip the lever C, as above intimated, moving it out of engagementwith the coupling-pin-retaining lever E, and thus causing the droppingof the pin, and consequently the automatic coupling of the cars. Thecoupling-pin can be readily withdrawn from the couplinglink of theopposite car by simply raising the lever B until engaged by the lever 0.Connection can be effected between the pin-operating lever O and the topof a house-car by suitable means (not shown) to permit of the actuationof said lever from that point. A

plate 70, arranged directly below the linkholder B, limits the insertionof the link, while the spring-pressure of the holder holds the link inposition, it (the holder) first yielding upward to permit the passage ofthe link beneath it.

I claim as my invention 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, withspring-cushioned or inwardly-movable drawhead, of the right-angled leverconnected to the latter and having its free end engaginga second leverconnecting with or carrying the coupling-pin, substantially as setforth.

2. The herein-described car-coupling, comprising the yielding draw-headprovided with a spring-held link-support, apin-hfting lever, andautomatic trip mechanism adapted to retain the pin in elevated positionand release the same by the rearward yielding of the draw-head,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The car-coupling comprising the inwardly-movable draw-head, theright-angled lever having a right-angled bar connected to a rod orextension of the draw-head, the upper end of said lever being beveled,and the hand or gravity lever having a notch engaging the beveled end ofthe aforesaid lever and formed with a crank -shaft carrying thecoupling-pin, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a yielding draw-head, of apin-lifting lever, and automatic trip mechanism adapted to retain thepin in elevated position and release the same by the rearwardyielding'of the draw-head, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT THOMPSON HENRY. \Vitnesses:

M. C. THOMAS, M. TURNER.

